Office of the Historian

Lot 71–D 440, Box 192321

Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Special Political Affairs (Rusk) to the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)

[Washington,] August 12, 1947.

Subject: United States Program at the Forthcoming General Assembly

I have had an opportunity to discuss the attached memorandum from the Policy Planning Staff2 with senior officers from EUR, NEA, FE, ARA, Le and SPA who are working on General Assembly preparations. The consensus on each of the numbered paragraphs follows:

1. While the statement appears sound as far as it goes, it does not take sufficiently into account (a) the influence of political and security matters on the prospects of European economic recovery, (b) the indirect and supplementary assistance to European economic recovery which can be obtained from activities of the United Nations and many specialized agencies in specialized and technical fields, and (c) the possibility that initiative by someone else might seriously embarrass or hamper concerted action to obtain European economic recovery.

Recommendation: That the Under Secretary take note of the view expressed by the Policy Planning Staff and also the necessity for careful consideration of the relation between matters likely to arise in the General Assembly and our present effort to achieve European economic recovery.3

2. The conclusion in this paragraph is entirely acceptable insofar as present action is concerned. It is recognized that the proposal of a multilateral mutual assistance pact has many and serious implications which need careful study here as well as careful diplomatic preparation. Time alone now probably prevents the initiative on our part in the General Assembly. We consider it necessary, however, to continue to develop our position on this subject in the event that the question arises in some other connection in the General Assembly.

Recommendation: That this paragraph be approved.4

3. This conclusion is acceptable and the necessary preparatory work is under way as a matter of urgency.

Recommendation: That this paragraph be approved.4

4. The import of this conclusion is not entirely clear and raises a question which needs considerable further study. On the one hand, we have made persistent effort to obtain settlement of political disputes prior to United Nations action and have generally taken the position [Page 597] that the parties themselves should exhaust their own efforts to reach a settlement before taking a situation or dispute before the Security Council. On the other hand, the United States should not take the position that the Security Council is closed to complainants whose complaints are unlikely to be dealt with effectively by the Security Council. Further, formal action by the Council is not the only and may not be the most important result from Security Council consideration of a case. It is fully recognized that our position as a permanent member of the Security Council forces us to adopt attitudes toward political controversies of diverse types arising in all parts of the world and that this lays upon us an onerous, and sometimes embarrassing, responsibility. SPA agrees that the problems involved are of the greatest importance and should be given further serious study.

Recommendation: That the Under Secretary take note of paragraph 4 and of SPA’s agreement to pursue the matter further with the other interested offices of the Department.5

5. Recommendation: That the Under Secretary approve paragraph 5.6

  1. Folder “Committee, Interim General Assembly Committee on Peace and Security”.↩
  2. PPS/5, August 7, p. 594.↩
  3. Lovett wrote “noted” next to this recommendation.↩
  4. Lovett wrote “OK” next to this recommendation.↩
  5. Lovett wrote “OK” next to this recommendation.↩
  6. Lovett wrote “noted” next to this recommendation.↩
  7. Lovett wrote “OK” next to this recommendation.↩